Impasto agli Spinaci (Spinach Pasta Dough)
Ingredients
300g of flour (1¾ cups + 2 tbsp)
450g fresh spinach (21/4 cups) or 150g frozen spinach (3/4 cup)
2 eggs
This recipe comes from an old pasta book I found in a pile of free books in Milan and it is delicious! It reads like this:
“For 4 abundant portions you will need 300 grams of flour, 450 grams of fresh spinach (or 150 grams of frozen spinach) and 2 eggs. Boil the spinach in pre salted water until it becomes very tender. Drain well and leave it to cool. Now, squeeze out all the water. Chop it finely with a knife. Mix the spinach and the egg together and proceed with a simple pasta recipe.”- Pastissima!
Now for the simple pasta recipe. There are 2 ways to do this, with a stand mixer and a dough hook or with you hot little hands.
Stand Mixer: Put the flour and the egg mixture along with about a tablespoon of EVOO into the stand mixer with a dough hook. Let it mix for about 10 minutes, until it is a smooth and slightly shiny ball. I usually stop the mixer every 3 minutes or so and try to incorporate the scraggly bits that don't quite make it into the ball. If the dough seems to wet add a bit more flour at a time until it is smooth and elastic. Then form the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temp for at least a half an hour but an hour is better.
By Hand: Put the flour on a smooth, clean, dry surface in a mound and create a crater in center. Add the spinach and egg mixture and about a tablespoon of EVOO and begin to mix the flour into the egg mixture slowly from the inside out. Knead for about 10 minutes until it is a smooth and slightly shiny ball. If the dough seems to wet add a bit more flour at a time until it is smooth and elastic. Then form the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temp for at least a half an hour but an hour is better.
And now you have your pasta dough! Roll it, stretch it, cut it and fill it as you see fit!
This recipe needs to cook for 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness that you have rolled it out. Look for it to float as a good indicator that it is ready.
